American College of Surgeon's Privacy Policy

The American College of Surgeons ("ACS") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of each and every user of our Web site and interactive educational products. Please take a moment to carefully read and understand our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or comments regarding this Policy, we invite you to contact ACS using the contact information below.

ACS uses various technologies to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of information volunteered or collected from all of its users. We do not require anyone to divulge any personally identifiable information to use our Web site. ACS on occasion requires a user to register, when for example certain products are purchased. ACS will not collect personal information about you unless the information is provided voluntarily by you.

I. Information ACS Collects

Information Collected From You
The personally identifiable information we request from you may include your: (i) country of residence, (ii) first, middle and last name, (iii) age and date of birth, (iv) highest level of education attained, (v) job title, (vi) home or office phone and fax numbers, (vii) employer's name and address, (viii) home or office address, (ix) home or office e-mail address, (x) ACS member identification number, user ID, and password, and (xi) credit card information (only if purchases are made).

Information Collected Through Technology
Primarily to tailor ACS sites to your needs, ACS collects information using technology, such as IP addresses and cookies. For example, your IP address provides ACS with non-personally identifiable information about how you entered the Internet, namely through your Internet service provider, your company or some other source, and can permit ACS to identify the frequency with which you visit ACS sites. Standard features in Internet browser software such as "cookies" allow Web sites to track certain user activities by assigning each of our visitors a unique number that resides on your computer. ACS uses cookies to make our sites more interesting and useful (for example, cookies let us know which of our sites you have been visiting and which you have not).

Information Is Not Collected On-Line From Children Under 13
ACS does not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information on-line from children under the age of 13.

II. How ACS Uses That Information

ACS uses the information collected to enable a user to: (i) purchase ACS educational materials for purposes of obtaining Continuing Medical Education ("CME") credit, (ii) pay membership dues, (iii) make Political Action Committee and charitable contributions, (iv) to purchase other ACS products, (v) to receive ACS newsletters and product and/or service announcements, and (vi) to participate in ACS sponsored meetings, programs, and activities.

III. Security Measures Taken To Protect Personally Identifiable Information

ACS uses firewalls, vulnerability scans and secure server encryption technology to protect personally identifiable information. ACS also employs internal physical and technologic security measures to detect and block unauthorized intrusions to its computer systems.

IV. Information Sharing With Third Parties

Limited personally identifiable information we request from you (namely, your name and home or office address) is occasionally sold to third parties, generally for educational programs. For example, the list of registrants to a Clinical Congress may be sold to exhibitors to the Clinical Congress. Moreover, personally identifiable information is occasionally shared with third parties so that these parties can send you promotional material about goods and services offered by the ACS or the third parties.

V. Updating Contact Information and Opt-Out Choices

ACS enables users of its Web site and interactive educational products to update contact information and to opt-out of the collection of personally identifiable information by e-mail, telephone, or regular mail. Please use the contact information listed below.

VI. Questions or Comments

If you have any questions or comments about the American College of Surgeons' privacy policy, please contact us at:

American College of Surgeons
Privacy Policy Coordinator
633 North Saint Clair Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
Tel: 312.202.5000
E-Mail: postmaster@facs.org

The ACS Privacy Policy was effective as of April 8, 2005. This page was last updated April 29, 2005.

Revised March 2, 2010